Letter to parents looking at biomedical intervention for autism

(NOTE: This is a feature from the new TACA Autism Journey Guide – Volume 2. For more information please see: http://tacanow.org/about-autism/autism-journey-guide/ )

Dear Parents,

I am writing this to encourage you to consider biomedical interventions for your child. I hope many other people encourage you as well, because biomedical interventions are life changing. Working with a physician trained by the Autism Research Institute or MAPS www.medmaps.org , parents can help their kids with many health related issues like diarrhea, constipation, sleep, ADHD, anxiety, depression, tics, speech issues etc. You may be skeptical that these treatments can affect so many areas…but I am living proof that they work!

I have to be honest with you here. Biomedical interventions can be hard. This I know firsthand. But what I also know firsthand is that biomedical interventions are worth it! Before “biomed” I was physically weak and exhausted all the time. I couldn’t focus and had regular acid reflux. Life was, for lack of a better word, disinteresting. The main feeling I had was apathy. Nothing mattered to me except video games. This extended to having friends, doing fun things, and even eating. I never paid attention to my future. In fact, I paid no attention to anything, except gaming.

Then one day, for seemingly no apparent reason, my mom just took all the wheat and dairy out of the house. I did not know why, neither did I see it coming. There was no end in sight to my mom’s medical madness. There were pills to swallow, lab tests, and even shots. I made things incredibly difficult for my mother, and I don’t know how or why she kept pushing through, but she did.

Today, I am strong and healthy, and all of my health issues have practically disappeared. There is no way I would have believed it, but now that I have lived through biomedical interventions, my life has really taken a positive change. I’m energetic and athletic, and even received a blue belt in Jujitsu at 15. My focus has gotten so much better. My weight has doubled in 4 years, mostly due to muscle mass increase. In addition, I now have friends and care about life. I feel like I can make a difference.

Here is what you should know. For most people, biomed is not a short term, quick fix. If you want to get results for your kid, it will take some work – for you and for him. If you are in, you need to be in 100%. While the effects of biomedical treatments can be apparent in short periods of time, often results are gained slow and steadily.

There may be times when you will have doubt. You might be uncertain that biomed is helping your child. You might question whether your child can stick with a special diet – especially if he is a big wheat and dairy fan. You may wonder if other families judge you. You may worry about how much it will cost. Know that if you face these challenges or any others, there is a community of amazing people in TACA who are ready and able to help. They know the uncertainty you are feeling and will support you through this process.

Are biomedical interventions easy? Well, nothing worth doing is easy… and biomedical interventions are very worth doing. The hardest part by far is the first 3 months because it requires a lot of lifestyle change. During those three months, you and your child will find out what you are made of. Perhaps your kid is not 100% dedicated to this cause. What is important is that you ARE 100% dedicated, and that you inspire your child to feel the same. As a result, you may end up bribing your child to keep them on track. My mom paid me $10 per month not to complain and stick with the program. How you motivate your kids is up to you.

Biomedical interventions may feel like harsh tasting medicine. It can be hard to follow the directions and swallow. But if you keep at it, you will get positive results. With thousands of recovered kids, including myself, biomedical interventions have a history of doing its part. Are you going to do your part?

Well? Are you ready?

Sincerely,
Andrew Zimmerman

Author of What Is My Mother Doing To Me? A Teenager's Journey To Recovered Health Through Biomedical Interventions
http://www.amazon.com/What-Mother-Doing-Biomedical-Interventions/dp/1452883742/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1336165442&sr=8-3

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Editors note: Andrew is the son to Debbie Zimmerman – TACA’s super coordinator in Hawaii. Andrew and his mom are a huge inspiration and help to TACA and the families we serve!